men. [♪ theme music ♪] >> john: good morning, and welcome to the "bill press show," coming to you live on current tv, happy thanksgiving to everyone and it's a little bit early but happy awful disgusting heart-wrenching black friday to you as well. we're very happy to have you with us, we have eliot spitzer calling into the show and the good movies you can take your family to this weekend and

scott blakeman will be on to give the liberal jewish perspective on the israel palestine palestinian situation. now to lisa ferguson for a current news update. >> good morning, everyone. after a very busy visit abroad president obama has a pretty busy day ahead of him. the white house invited everyone to vote on these two turkeys, cobbler and gobbler on facebook to judge your favorite but while they make look the same they are very different. cobbler likes cranberries, and gobbler likes corn. no matter which turkey gets the

most votes both get to retire happily at mount vernon. pita is saying this makes light of the slaughter of the 46 million birds during this holiday. this white house tradition has more than a century and a half history behind it. but pita says it is belittling for the turkeys, and doesn't cake their feelings into account. and we do have some serious news going on today. hillary clinton is in the middle east working to de-escalate the violence between israel and hamas. they do all plan to keep in

close touch as clinton travels to cairo. more john next. stay with us. ♪ how are you ever going to solve the problem if you don't look at all of the pieces? >>tv and radio talk show host stephanie miller rounds out current's morning news block. >>you're welcome current tv audience for the visual candy. >>sharp tongue, quick whit and above all, politically direct. >>you just think there is no low they won't go to. oh, no. if al gore's watching today... [ boy 1 ] hey! that's the last crescent. oh, did you want it? yea we'll split it. [ female announcer ] made fresh, so light buttery and flakey. that's half that's not half! guys, i have more! thanks mom [ female announcer ] pillsbury crescents. let the making begin the saying easy as pie? i get it now. just unroll it fill, top, bake, and present. that must have taken you forever! it was really tough. [ female announcer ] pillsbury

pie crust. let the making begin

but when joint pain and stiffness from psoriatic arthritis hit even the smallest things became difficult. i finally understood what serious joint pain is like. i talked to my rheumatologist and he prescribed enbrel. enbrel can help relieve pain, stiffness, and stop joint damage. because enbrel, etanercept suppresses your immune system, it may lower your ability to fight infections. serious, sometimes fatal events including infections tuberculosis lymphoma, other cancers, and nervous system and blood disorders have occurred. before starting enbrel your doctor should test you for tuberculosis and discuss whether you've been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. don't start enbrel if you have an infection like the flu. tell your doctor if you're prone to infections, have cuts or sores have had hepatitis b have been treated for heart failure, or if, while on enbrel, you experience persistent fever, bruising, bleeding, or paleness. [ phil ] get back to the things that matter most. ask your rheumatologist if enbrel is right for you. [ doctor ] enbrel, the number one biologic medicine

prescribed by rheumatologists. [♪ theme music ♪] >> announcer: broadcasting across the nation on your radio, and on current tv this is the "bill press show." >> john: this is the "bill press show." good morning, i'm john fugelsang filling in for bill as i have been all week. it has been a real pleasure sitting here in bill's chair. i am a big fan of this show and every time i get to come down here from new york and direct the whole thing down to my level is just karmicly fun. and with me here today is dan henning. >> good morning. >> john: it was a pretty slow

news week. >> yeah nothing to talk about. >> john: the violence in the middle east, the action of various governors to undermine the affordable health care act, the um coming thanksgiving and black friday, and elmo leaving sesame street, which is a pretty painful thing for all if you have a kid. >> uh-huh. >> john: but i'm really thrilled to be here on the eve of thanksgiving, i'm thankful for shows like this. we're going to talk about black friday and the real history of thanks give as well. and really a tough question i want to ask everyone listening progressive and conservative to call in on this we know all of the horrible things of black friday, that it takes the christmas message of jesus and his anti-materialism message and

completely, well makes a joke out of it. thanks giving is a time when christians buy lots of material possessions to celebration though guy who denounced material processions. we all know how about how these prices are jacked up and then put on sale, we know all of the bad things about black friday and we'll be covering all of those. but is black friday still good for our economy? does it help? does it create jobs? will it help the obama administration, recession and the unemployment levels, as easy as it is to talk about the ugly aspects of it, what are the positive aspects if any. shop at local small businesses on friday. why not think about buying

american-made products and think about keeping your money in your community by buying locally? we'll get to all of that governor eliot spitzer will be l kaing in host of "viewpoint" here on current tv. likewise, film critic allison bails who i'm a big fan of, and she'll be talking about what are some good films that smart politically progressive minded people can go see, and what are some good movies you can take your family to see or escape from your family with. and scott backman will be on. >> i can't wait for that.

>> john: yesterday we had dean on, and they do a show together. and scott takes the position where he is very pro israel but not a huge fan of their government. anthony popus will be calling in, and is wal-mart as bad for their employees as we have been lead to believe? we will find out. but first it's time for some "full court press." >> announcer: this is the "full court press." >> hey, how about some overhead lines -- >> john: i'm seconding bill tainted shell fish so i can come back again. >> excellent. pita wants to put an end to the turkey pardon ritual. it says it is an outdated ceremony that makes slight of

some 46 million gentle intelligent birds. >> john: every year the president has this ridiculous ritual where he doesn't kill a turkey, and that is up setting pita. >> yeah. >> john: if peta wants to get on board about the mass slaughter of turkeys, that's great, but any time you mix trip toe thank and alcohol that's a problem. but i'm surprised they are upset about not killing an animal. >> oprah winfrey told justin bieber who said he wants to get married by 25 that she thinks

she is crazy. she thinks it is way too young. >> john: that's oprah advising him not to get married. >> yeah. >> john: that's very good advise from oprah, who i got to meet steadman this year, who is extremely not married. and justin bieber whoever he does marry it will be a great first marriage for both. >> yeah. and a small division three school in iowa set a huge record. jack tailor scored 138 points to help lead his team to a 179 to 104 victory over faith baptist bible college last night. that shatters a previous record

set back in 1954 of 116 points by a single-point player. >> john: what is his name? >> jack taylor. >> john: congratulations. >> yeah. >> john: so let me begin by saying what a pleasure it is to come and do your show in dc. my father was a history teacher and when i was a kid and had my first communion he brought me to d.c. as a gift. and i was a history nerd and memorized all of the presidents by the time i was 6. and i still have the same special feeling when i walk around like i'm a jaded new yorker nothing in new york impresses me on a tourism level, but here i'm just a dope. and yesterday was a great day, because i actually had a free day. >> you geeked out. >> i geeked out, and i was such

a tourist. and it was also my first day off in 42 days. other than i got up at 4:00 am and came to do bill's show. >> that's not work. >> john: no, that's pleasure. and after i was done i actually walked around and did a five-mile walk around dc. i went and saw the james bond movie, went to dinner with a friend, and went and saw bob dylan tonight, and i'm seeing bob dylan tonight. i was walking around china town and there is your beautiful verizon center your basketball team -- >> yeah, the 0-9 washington wizards. >> john: they are getting ready

to bring back michael jordan at age 50. and i saw that dylan was playing there. and i thought i used to follow bob dylan around like a dead head, which is known as girl repel ant. >> how if have you seen? >> john: over 50. which is not a lot compared to some people i meet at the shows, but that's over 20 years and i love dylan, i do i like watching him age, and seeing how he rearranges his song and as his voice comes more like tom wait and a frog gargling i feel like he does more interesting stuff musically to make it work around him. and i heard he was playing grand piano on tour for the first time, so i wanted to go, and it

was pretty wild i can work as a translator for bob dylan. he is playing grand piano now. the rumor is he has arthritis and can't play guitar too much. he comes to the foot of the stage and just sings and dances around and does kind of a crooner act. the one thing about the grand piano is now you are watching a 71-year-old man sitting for 90 minutes, but when he does his crooner act, the guy is fantastic. he did the best all along the watchtower i have ever seen. the older he gets the more he is willing to be creepy and spooky and cool. >> so he has made his age work

for him. because some people say he has not aged well. >> stephanie: he has not aged well, in fact he goes to great length to make sure you can't photograph him. he has surrounded the stage with mirrors facing out, which i think is to screw up flashes, and then he has flood lights mounted on tripods around the whole stage, so i tried to get a picture, and you actually get lights. yeah bob does not do zumba, but if you go expecting it to be the greatest hits jukebox concert, you are going to be

disappointed. for the first two-thirds of the show watching wealthy suburban folks who thought they were coming to see a vegas show just walk out in droves and i mean hundreds of people walk out, and by the end everyone who is there is on their feet because once you figure out that dylan is actually doing something, it is pretty fun. however, saying that i know there is a lot of people out there who paid to see bob dylan and hated it and that's why i say it works as birth control because it scares the girls away. >> nice. >> john: i'm going to go see him again tonight. and i'm going to see mark from dire straits. and a terrific evening of music, and it's a great way to get ready for thanksgiving because this thanksgiving means a lot to

progressives, and having the president reelects and not electing governor romney is enough to make most people feel thankful, but one thanksgiving as we know it as nothing to do with the original thanksgiving right down to the paintings that we see. when we look at any painting of thanksgiving that we see when we were kids and we see the pilgrims and indians dancing around, we were starving, and the indians saved our lives, and we relaid them as only white people can, and the wompanoa were planes indians, and our whole image of thanksgiving is skewed. and it has been used to convince

children that we got along fine with indians, and draw pictures of turkeys with our hands. president lincoln made it a holiday at the urging of the woman who wrote mary had a little lamb. it started with the spaniards who were the first ones to have thanksgiving, who massacred a bunch of indians, and a year later they were celebrating the safe return of the white people who weren't killed and it has evolved into this. it is one of those holidays that straddles the line of secular and spiritual holiday. we're going to talk about what is thanksgiving and secondly

black friday. we can talk about how bad wal-mart is, the exploitation of workers, and how thanksgiving is supposed to be about buying stuff, but does it help the economy? we want to know what you think progressives, and conservative trolls too, and finally how do you handle your right-wing crazy relatives at the thanksgiving table? we want to know. it's the "bill press show." >> announcer: this is the "full court press," the "bill press show," live on your radio, and on current tv. ♪ unleashed. joy behar.

>> i'll talk about surviving thanksgiving with relationship guru iyanla vanzant, and chef michael simon, on say anything.

alright, in 15 minutes we're going to do the young turks. i think the number one thing that viewers like about the young turks is that we're honest. they know that i'm not bs'ing them with some hidden agenda, actually supporting one party or the other. when the democrats are wrong, they know that i'm going to be the first one to call them out. they can question whether i'm right, but i think that the audience gets that this guy, to the best of his ability, is trying to look out for us. ♪

>> announcer: chatting with you live at current.com/billpress. this is the "bill press show," live on your radio, and current tv. >> john: this is called turkey in the straw, right? >> yes. >> john: why does it sound like a celtic rodeo? >> i don't know. i just saw the word turkey and thought let me play this. >> john: happy thanksgiving to all y'all, this is the "bill press show." i'm john fugelsang filling in for bill. ron is calling us from illinois. good morning, ron, you are on the "bill press show." >> caller: good morning, john, how are you? >> john: i'm good how are you. >> caller: one i'm thankful for

the administration that we have returning and not changing. two, how do i handle my right-wing family, fortunately or unfortunately everybody at the dinner table tomorrow will be all left-wing progressive people that will be celebrating the, again reelection -- >> john: oh, that's great, because liberals never fight with each other. >> not at all. and the economy, unfortunately, reluctantly because our economy is based so much on consumers and black friday reluctantly it is probably good for the economy. >> john: thank you for admitting it. but i do think there are ways we can have smart black friday, number one it doesn't have to be on friday, number 2, buy american products, or even buy supplies and make your own gifts, and the big thing i think is try to keep the money in your

community by buying locally. yeah, if you go to wal-mart some of the money will get back into your community, but big picture, that money is mainly going to the walton family. >> i do not shop at wal-mart, will not shop at wal-mart as a personal standpoint. >> john: right on. but if you buy american that is patriotic and that's something we all can be thankful for. governor eliot spitzer coming up next on the "bill press show." ♪ they don't want to do anything about global warming. they just want to shut it down and go home. ed is calling from frederick maryland. what do you say, ed? >> caller: good morning. >> bill: good morning. >> caller: on the republicans, i think they're in the final stages of a plan they hatched back probably at reagan's time

or before that when they've had administrations, they would keep spending all of the cut taxes, putting it all on the national people when i'm upset. do you share the sense of outrage that they're doing this, this corruption based on corruption based on corruption. >>i think that's an understatement, eliot. u>> i'm not prone tot. understatement, so explain to me why that is. i think the mob learned from wall st., not vice versa.

♪ >> announcer: this is the "full court press," the "bill press show," live on your radio, and on current tv. >> john: this is the "bill press show." i'm john fugelsang filling in for bill all morning. it has been a real pleasure spending thanksgiving week with you guys. this morning we're asking a few thanksgiving questions, number one what is the real history of thanksgiving and what are you thanksful for, number two how do you handle your difficult right-wing or left-wing relatives at the dinner table,

and number three is black friday good for the american economy even though we complain about it? and patricia good morning, happy thanksgiving. >> caller: good morning, john. i have enjoyed listening to your show this morning. one thing i realized is it is so much about choice for example, the way we treated the natives, the oppression exclusion, et cetera, the things i didn't learn when i was in grade school, and i was at wal-mart the other night, and a group of employees were taking their break in the front of the store in the sitting area and i stopped and i said you know i heard about your benefits being cut, and if you go on strike i'll support you. and they all kind of looked at me and went stone silent and a

supervisor came out of the blue carrying a walkky talky, and looked at me and said do you have a problem? and the feeling i got i felt myself get really angry and really frightened all at the same time, and all of the employees sat there and looked at me, and i said i do have a problem, and the problem is that these people work their asses off. i see them day after day, and they are not being treated very well, and i said, and i believe in unions, and i believe that the election that we just had was for something, and they deserve fair treatment, and if they go on strike i will no longer shop here, and i walked away. and, you know, it's so much about oppression so much of our history is about that kind of

oppression, that silence. >> john: that's not just american history, that's human history. would you agree? >> caller: right. yeah. >> john: exploitation is one of the sad defects of the human model, and we try to overcome it, but it has been a long time since organized labor has had any weight in this country. and people will watch their rights be stripped away for sense of security. >> caller: and they are not raised with the knowledge of what their rights are, they are being spoon fed a version of history and a version of government or patriotism or whatever that doesn't include the personal aspect of it. >> john: yeah, as ralph nader used to say we don't grow up civic in america, we grow up corporate. we know the jingles to a lot of tv commercials, and we don't grow up with a sense of who we

are and what our own powers as citizens are, and i think wal-mart is a great example of that. and god bless you patricia for caring about people. the wal-mart folks have used a lot of nice talking points that make it sound like they are a happy wonderland. and it's easy to pick on them because they make ungodly pro -- profits, and now their employees are being called in to work on thanksgiving day to get ready for black friday. >> john: exactly. and then people who can go out and night at work. my mom was a nurse, and i grew up and having my mom go out and work on christmas and

thanksgiving all the time. >> john: my dad was a union postal worker who worked on christmas eve. >> john: but how did they day your dad on christmas eve. >> caller: this was back in denver in the 60s and 70s, and he was making good money, but when it came to strike that's when everything blew up. i don't know if you remember that when the postal workers went on strike. >> john: i do, and the whole struggle of labor in this country is something that is cyclical, and we don't learn about it, and we ignore it at all our peril, because the alternative is we become more corporate and more fascist. and if this -- this is not capitolism this is institutionalized greed we have in this country, and if we the people don't make sure that

business behaves in a patriotic fashion, patricia, really quick, what are you thankful for as an american this year? >> caller: i'm thankful for the ability to participate without being made to feel that my rights are going to be taken away. i live in a place where petitions are being passed to succeed from the union because we reelected a black man for president. >> john: uh-huh. >> caller: i'm surrounded by people who think that i shouldn't have the opinion that i do, and i'm really thankful that i live in a place where i can speak my opinion and walk away. >> caller: go over to ashville the lefties there will open you with north carolina. mary is calling us from houston, texas. good morning, mary happy

thanksgiving. >> caller: good morning, john and please can you keep houston also. >> john: change the airport name, we got a deal. >> caller: i agree, john. i'm thankful i'm here at my dad's house and he gets current tv. >> john: my mom just moved to north carolina and she finally got current turned on last week. >> caller: that's great. as far as having republican family members. it's a terrible experience to be digesting your food and then encounter all of that anger. i just say i have diarrhea and go hang out in the bathroom. >> john: that's great. there are obnoxious lefties as well. i speak with scars to prove it.

>> caller: i have a question john. >> john: okay. >> caller: i have a nephew who attends texas a&m, and he insists of making racist comments during the holiday. >> john: on thanksgiving? >> caller: and christmas? >> john: like a holiday theme? because he make fun of black elves? [ laughter ] >> caller: that one hasn't come up yet. >> john: give me an example. >> caller: he makes fun of people on welfare. >> caller: you can tell him the majority of people are white. by the way you know what you

tell this rat bastard nephew of yours is we have welfare because we are patriotic in this country. they never complain about your tax dollars being used for war, or being stolen to blow up brown people so we can get their oil, they get mad when their tax dollar is used to help fellow americans. and you can tell them i love america and i'm a bigger patriot than you. and remind him the majority of people on food stamps are caucasian, and also remind him that jesus is brown. >> caller: i love it thank you. >> caller: thank you, mary. phil coming from massachusetts. good morning. happy thanksgiving. >> caller: same too you, john.

thank for taking my call. >> john: sure. >> caller: i am a single unattached veteran, and this is really, you know, a rough time of year for me to go through thanksgiving and christmas and new years, you know, all alone, and i know there's a lot of people out there and i implore the -- the young kids coming back from the war to -- if they have problems to seek help. i have gotten help. right now my life has changed from night to day. there was a time when i was sleeping in my car, and in a shelter, and the va saved me. so i'm certainly thankful to me and the dav for help me. >> john: wow. >> caller: and i just -- you know, and there are a lot of people that have to go through the holidays alone, and i'm used to it. i mean i have a son who is 42,

and he is with his mom in texas and he hasn't called me in like 14 or 15 years now. >> john: oh, god phil i'm so sorry. >> caller: we each have our little -- >> john: we have to go to break, phil, but i thank you for your service, i hope you can reach out to your son and get those ties back. it's the "bill press show." we'll be right back after this. >> announcer: heard around the coin try and seen on current tv. this is the "bill press show." ♪ [ male announcer ] it's that time of year again. time for citi price rewind. right have, about the "heavy hand of government" ... i want to have that conversation. let's talk about it. really? you're going to lay people off because now the government is going to help you fund your healthcare. really? i want to have those conversations, not to be confrontational, but to understand what the other side

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start you morning with a daily dose of politics from a fresh perspective. >>i'm a slutty bob hope. the troops love me. >>only on current tv. ♪

>> announcer: this is the bill bill show. >> john: this is the "bill press show." i'm john fugelsang filling in for bill all morning, taking your calls at 866-55-press. we're on your radio, your interwebs, we are on current tv. elmo is out of a job, and bob dylan is touring with mark noffler, and of course the middle east and general petraeus has taken up a little bit of news time this week. hillary clinton is in jerusalem and visiting gaza as well. she arrived last night. she is also going to be meeting i believe with president moresy of egypt here is mrs. clinton.

>> america's commitment to israel is rock-solid and unwavering, that's why we believe it is essential to escalate the situation in gaza. no defense is perfect. and our hearts break for the loss of every civilian israel, and palestinian, and for all of those who have been wounded or are living in fear or danger. >> john: think back to 1998 that was the year -- i'm sorry. 1999 was the year that mrs. clinton said a two-state solution was the only way out. after that of course, the bush administration adopted a two-state solution and the obama administration adopted a two-state solution as a policy. that makes three administrations in a row, and yet no one wants

to make it happen. of course some people think this is a very bad idea. i think having the blockade for gaza is a really bad idea. i think it hurt's israel's safety and security long term and now that egypt is run by a guy who is not exactly a dictator fascist puppet controlled by america, i think you will see a change. and i pray that the egyptian/israel peace agreement will never be threatened. that's one of the greatest achievements i think for america of the last 50 years. we can only hope this is the last of its kind and will lead to the beginning of an era of peace and stability for both sides. and if we can just get to a

point of viewing palestine as what it is, an emerging market get investment in there, jobs going, get american and israel businesses to invest in palestine, if this generation can be the one to put the hatred aside, because if god wanted anyone dead, he i would smiet them himself. and he ain't smieting. this is going to be a generation that needs to put the desires of both peoples ahead for the future. >> we must advance the security and legitimate aspirations of israelis and palestinians alike.

in the days ahead the united states will work with our allies here in egypt and across the nation, improve conditions for the people of gaza and move towards a comprehensive peace for all people of the region. >> john: and we do hope that is the outcome of this. and again, i say both sides cautiously, because if you want to have people hate you on the media, talk about this conflict. i was called a terrorist sympathizer, and a bought and paid for puppet of the israely machine within a 24-hour period. i'm on the side of anyone who is willing to side this conflict non-violently. that's what i care of.

shamoan perez was asked if israel was ready to make a deal. here was his response. >> i reject completely this proposal [ inaudible ] and i reject completely [ inaudible ]. >> john: and he is right, hamas and a lot of our friends in the middle east has got to recognize israel's right to exist. hamas is rejecting the deal because of the blockades staying in place and because they want to control their own borders. i hope egypt can make things better. only time can tell. we'll be taking your calls when we come back at 866-55-press, the "bill press show." >> announcer: heard around the country, and scene on current tv. this is the "bill press show." ♪

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♪ >> announcer: this is the "bill press show." >> john: this is the "bill press show." i'm john fugelsang filling in for bill. happy thanksgiving, we're taking your calls on three things what are you thankful for as an american this year how do you handle your politically difficult relatives at the thanksgiving table, and is black friday good for the economy? exsign is calling us from brooklyn. >> caller: hello, john. >> john: good morning, good to have you here. >> caller: i just had to call. >> john: this is one of my favorite new york comedians

calling. >> caller: thank you very much. i also agree with the smart black friday, and people need to do research and we're also asking the country that asked to do the research on their candidates, they don't do that. >> john: yeah. i agree with you. >> caller: i agree with you on the smart black friday we want a better economy but we want the people in power to take care of the middle class and lower-middle class, because it's hard to see someone in wal-mart as middle class. >> john: you are exactly right. we'll be right back on the "bill press show." ♪ >> bill: he heard the kkk changed its mind when they realized the highway was paved with black asphalt. bill is happy with yesterday's combination of meredith shiner

[♪ theme music ♪] >> john: this is the "bill press show." i'm john fugelsang, billing in for bill all morning here on current tv. we're taking your calls if you are listening to us on the radio at 866-55-press, and we're going to be talk for the rest of the show about thanks giving. what is the real history of thanksgiving, what are you thankful for as an american is black friday good for the economy? and of course how do you handle your difficulty, painfully right-wing relatives at the thanksgiving dinner table

without resorting to violence. as so we wanted to know your thoughts. also it's a big news day with israel and gaza and elmo is quitting sesame street. let's go for some real knew to lisa ferguson at the current news desk. >> hi, john good morning, everyone. a bus explosion in tel-aviv has hurt ten people at least three are in the hospital with critical injuries. it seemed yesterday israel and hamas might be nearing a cease-fire agreement. israel has increased its attack on gaza. defense forces are reporting gaza has fired at least ten rockets back into israel. secretary of state hillary clinton is visiting the region today working on negotiating a

truce, but so far neither side is willing to stop until the other side meets their demands. the united states has been able to negotiate new rules from mexico over sharing water from the colorado river. under the plan mexico will get some badly needed water storage capacity from lake knead, california, arizona, and nevada will buy water back from mexico to use the money to upgrade their canals and other infrastructure. joe scarborough has issued a semi apologize for mocking nate silver's predictions. scarborough's new op-ed is on "politico"'s website today. it's not quite a full apology, but scarborough does say in the

end, silver was right. more john fugelsang coming up. stay with us. ♪ created ad message for little caesars who proudly salutes unites states veterans everywhere. >> hi, i'm rick loz. i joined the united states air force in 1987. as i was leaving the service i went into a civilian career for a little bit but i was looking for a little bit more than what the civilian career had to offer me and that's when learned about the little caesars veterans program. the little caesars veterans program helps the veterans transition to civilian life. they give them credits and discounts on the things that they are going to need to help open a new store. it was a program that they were just starting to kick off and i got the honor of being the very first veteran. i have three kids and boy, they were very happy to help out. i had one as a cashier, one worked a some of the other stations making pizza in the back. they really enjoyed owning a

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[♪ theme music ♪] >> announcer: broadcasting across the nation, on your radio, and on current tv this is the "bill press show." >> john: this is the "bill press show." i'm john fugelsang filling in for bill all morning and taking your calls at 866-55-press. lots going on right now, and we are taking your calls and thanksgiving and black friday but i'm really thrilled to welcome our next guest, eliot spitzer is host of "viewpoint." every night this man gives us a

master class in wall street malfeasance and what citizens can do to help tip the scales back in honor of justice. good morning eliot. >> good morning, john it's always timely to be with you. it has been a joy having spent time with you on the tv show and listening to you entertain and give us the incisive wit that you bring to politics. >> john: thank you, and it has been really fun working with you at current tv for the live coverage we have done. i think i did close to 36 hours of live coverage with you and governor grandholm and mr. gore going from the convention

debates, and election. do you enjoy doing live tv? >> it is awesome. it goes back to the days of when i was a prosecutor or being an athlete on the field, it's when you can do something over, it lacks a sense of authenticity there's something about the pressure and tension of knowing this is it. you have got to perform. i think it's great. >> john: i agree. folks might not know for the live shows that current did this year for conventions, debates, and election itself there was no teleprompter or script of any kind. they put us out there with no script, prompter or throws to and from commercial break, and it really was amazing to do that kind of programming with folks

like you and governor grandholm, and cenk uygur, and al gore. >> yes i loved it. >> john: i'm thrilled you are joining us this morning. there's a lot to talk about. i really want to get your take on israel and palestine right now, and where you see the situation going. >> i think there will be a cease fire shortly. have the parties accomplished what they want to by this confrontation so far? israel responding to what has been months and months of missiles coming down from gaza hamas, this is a the very twisted world we're living in. they want the fight because it elevates them in theal steinian world and also against habas.

hamas is trying to take over the mandel of who is negotiate. so they will exceed moresy will say to them, look, i'm in a dicey position here, but i still depend on the united states for money. you have got to quit now. we need somehow to nudge the peace process forward towards really a resolution that gives us a two-state solution and hopefully netenyahu, who i think will be reelected in the upcoming reelections will say now is the time to do that. >> john: exactly. first all this power struggle between hamas and abas and [ inaudible ], they don't get along too well but we're at a point now where hamas has conceded to control authority. they run the police services.

they are so popular, that they have actually stopped having elections. do you think that having a palestinian state that controls its own borders could stop this? do you think if they got what they wanted, the problem would cease? >> i don't. there are some organizations if you give them territorial control, they have accomplished what they want it is still a core principal of hamas that they want to eliminate this individual. abas doesn't think that way. and until that changes, it's very hard to see any sort of peace, which is why i think the window that existed a while ago that may have closed was to do a

peace deal with hahbas. >> john: it's not like the days of arfat, when there was one guy controlling the organization. >> yep. >> john: [ inaudible ]? >> certainly not publicly which is why secretary of state clinton goes to cairo to talk. i think to give them even the pretense of legitimacy right now, until they revoke their claim that they will not stop until they eliminate the state of israel and until they renounce the reign of violence. it's everybody is firing, and nobody -- you know, it causes

great concern, but hamas has been launching missiles and constantly for months randomly firing into israel. and imagine if we had that. sit 50 miles from gaza up to tel-aviv tel-aviv. >> john: i think you are right i is incumbent upon hamas to crack down. >> i don't pretend to know internally internally -- >> john: i appreciate your position, hamas needs to recognize israel's right to exist. >> i have been one who have said for a long time as have many that we would like israel to change its policies on settlements and many issues that could lead to formalized

two-state solution. that is a very different matter than when it has been the attack of the missiles should not and could not come out and respond. i don't think israel should invade. i think that would be damaging to israel's interest, but what they have done so far is absolutely correct, and deserves full support. >> john: you don't think they will invade, do you? >> no, i think netenyahu realizes that would be counterproductive. that would give them what they want to parade in front of the world, would not lead to what israel wants which is the elimination of hamas's ability to attack israel it is better to pinpoint the missile points. >> john: exactly. the great tragedy of this whole destructive conflict is when

peacemakers are killed by their own keep. we have seen that happen sadat was killed and his replace was our stanch ally and happened to be a genocidal dictator and the people rose up, and america supported the uprising, and now with moresy there, we're realizing a real shift. i don't think you'll see the alliance damaged, but moresy appears to be more sympathetic to hamas. >> moresy does come from the muslim brotherhood and he is threading a careful needle.

he is on the domestic front articulating the prohamas perspective. that was his foundation and base, and he was going to do that, but he has played a different roll internationally and diplomatically where he is trying to be the intermediary he knows he depends on united states aide, and he needs to incorporate the egyptian economy into the economy that we lead still, so he is torn. he is threading the needle as many national leaders do. we should not forget there was a meeting in iran several months back when he announced he was going he was subject to substantial criticism because it was in iran, but when moresy got there he delivered a blistering attack on the iranian effort to

go to nuclear weapons. so everyone stepped back and said wow that was surprising. he is doing things that are a bit more subtle and interesting. so we have to watch and see how this develops. >> john: moresy is sort of like pope benedict where he seems very willing to alienate whoever he needs to to get what he wants. we might see money be the reason this war ends. israel's number one income is tourism. >> that's correct. when the israeli peace accounts

were signed it didn't really change. it has been a number of years since i have been in egypt, and i have obviously been to israel a number of times, but this region of the world could be blooming economically you have intellectual capital in israel the increasingly educated population in egypt, things should work there. >> john: earlier in the broadcast i was trying to get a movement calling palestine an emerging market. and the private sector could be the way to peace in this region. >> interesting thing there were some articles recently. the venture capital business in israel is booming. some of the vcs there have tried

and are trying on that theory to plant seeds of venture capital and lay the foundation for an emerging growth economy in the west bank working with the palestinians to say hey, join us, and we'll build the cultural bridges we need to overcome. so there's an effort being made. it hasn't yet really taken root but it is real. a law school classmate of mine is participating in this they think long run this is a way to generate some -- a change in the emotional content of the relationship. >> john: i can think of no greater gift israel and palestine can give to the next generation. governor can you stick around to talk about any fiscal cliff? >> absolutely. >> john: this is the "bill press show." we'll be back right after this.

>> announcer: chatting with you live at current.com/billpress. this is the "bill press show."

♪ >> announcer: heard around the country, and seen on current tv, this is the "bill press show." >> john: this is the "bill press show," i'm john fugelsang, filling in for bill all morning long. we wish you a very happy thanksgiving. i'm happy for governor eliot spitzer post of "viewpoint" on

current tv. >> man after an introduction like that i almost couldn't start talking. >> john: it might be a little bit over the top -- >> the guy i have to share the mic with every now and again -- >> john: i love filling in for you, but what i love most about your show is because i call it the master class, because you have the only show dedicated to taking on the guys at wall street, not just pointing fingers, but also pointing solutions. >> that's great. hp hewlett-packard had participated in accusation. they paid $11 billion for a british software company. yesterday they announced they

were writing down the value of that by about $8.8 billion, basically 85% of the value of the company. they just overpaid by that much. now you scratch your head and say how can that happen? >> and why would they admit it? >> they almost had to because it wipes out all of their profits. turns out citibank barclays -- the gold-plated list of investment banks and accounting firms had been involved, nobody had seen the accounting of the company was essentially a scam. it was just a fiction. the profits weren't there. they were booking things improperly. every major investment bank and auditing firm was involved. how could that happen with the

so-called due diligence process? >> john: yeah this isn't like haliburton, losing a few million in iraq, this is like a fire sale scam. >> every company said we looked at everything they are supposed to look at, and none of it was there. it is as though the warehouse was empty. people say we're buying a company it has all of this inventory, somebody has to knock on the door to make sure the furniture is in the warehouse that you think you are buying, nobody did this stuff, and this is what these big banks are paid for. >> john: wow. and the big banks didn't their job, but that's one of the things your show does a good thing of pointing out. do you think the lieber scandal

is probably the financial malfeasance scandal of the year? >> so many people's interest rates are affected. we don't know if people were hurt or helped because as they moved that interest rate up or down, some people were helped some people were being hurt but the notion that there was no integrity in the system, they knew they were moving it to help themselves rather than set a genuine market rate, so they were gaming it. >> john: yes. and i thank you for having a show that teaches us what is actually going on. i thank you so much for your time this morning governor. >> my pleasure. >> john: we'll be right back on the "bill press show." >> announcer: this is the "bill press show." ♪

♪ >> announcer: radio meets television, the "bill press show," now on current tv. >> john: this is the "bill press show." i'm john fugelsang filling in for bill. he will be back on monday we are wishing all y'all a very happy thanksgiving here from our nation's capitol. i want to do something different for this segment. if god sees everything that means god has to watch every screening of the remake of "read dawn." and i think it makes the original "red dawn" look like a

good film. so i wanted to talk with somebody about these movies because maybe you want to escape from your family to see a good movie. and there are very few critics i actually trust. one is allison bales. she is the film critic for "more" magazine. allison you are the smartest film critic i know. >> thank you john you are the smartest radio show host i know. >> john: thank you i'm just a scab filling in. >> oh, i thought you were bill press? >> john: no. there is so much crap in all of the hollywood product that people need to avoid. what is out there that is good

and worth seeing? >> well, there are a lot of films that are already out. and it's funny you mentioned "red dawn," which is not as bad as you might thing. because it is mindless video game fun for teenage boys. >> john: thor and tom cruise's son is in it as well but i think the plot is taking over north korea. >> but it doesn't really matter. they are nameless faceless bad guys who get mowed down by the hundreds of thousands. >> john: yeah. >> no it's as [ inaudible ] as

[ inaudible ] because say. but sort of good fun in silly kind of way. but there is a film opening today which i think is worth seeing which is "life of pi" hi is directed by ang lee, and this one is another story about a tyinger in a lifeboat with a young boy who has survived a massive shipwreck. and it is the most spectacular film i think i have ever seen as far as special effects go. >> john: this is in 3-d? >> it is and it's really unbelievable. it is the best 3-d i have ever seen. the spirituality side of things gets some hollywood sappy treatment. so i wouldn't go if that's what you loved about the book. i would go for the visual

enjoyment of this film. and the story of survival. this is a similar kind of story of someone having to do whatever it takes and it's so beautiful. >> john: i'm dieing to see it. it looks great. have you had a chance to see "lincoln" yet? >> i have. i have. and it's as good as everyone says. daniel lee lewis is remarkable. he brings lincoln into your own head, and brings the man alive, and the whole film is tinted with the sadness of what we all know is to come just a few days after the film ends in his life and it is just a remarkable film, and remarkable performance. >> john: i can tell by your accent that you are from new jersey. >> yes. >> john: how did it feel as a

foreign a greater appreciation of our greatest president. >> i have been here 20-some years -- >> john: well, you are in the club. >> no, but i didn't go through school learning everything you all did about lincoln, but with the recent election i have been paying more attention to american politics. there were some things that made me want to look up the story in the history books. some of the people i was not familiar with, some of the names, but it doesn't really matter because the script which is amazing, it just brings you right in immediately, and then daniel daye lous we's performance is -- lincoln is like this folksy old grandfather

that you would like to sit with and yet he is the smartest guy in the room at all times. >> john: allison are there any independent releases out that people should know about? what is a quality low-budget film that people can check out. >> i don't know about low-budget silver linings play book already opened. this one is about a dysfunctional family, so maybe it will make you think, well you know, everyone has their problems, but this is a good film for everyone. it is sort of uplifting -- >> john: with de niro and bradley cooper? >> yes, and i have liked de niro for years, but i think he'll be up for an academy award for

this. cooper is fantastic. it's a weinstein film, and they are so good at positioning their films for this time of year but the whole family can enjoy this movie -- i know that sounds ridiculous. and then there is a film about alfred hitchcox. >> john: amazing cast. >> amazing cast. helen mirren plays his wife jennifer beals -- it is a great cast. the film does not quite come up to the level of its cast, but if you are interested in film it's amusing, it's a good getaway

film. and brad pit is coming up in "killing him softly," which is really something good for him to do, i think, sort of turning his whole nice-guy persona on its ear. >> john: i think every time brad pit takes a break from being a movie star to an actor is a good thing. >> yeah. and [ inaudible ] looks amazing. there's the film called "the impossible," the mother of a family who survived the tsunami in 2004 which is gruelling, and they tell the whole story in the trailer. really, if you see the trailer, you have seen the film. >> john: "the sessions" have you

seen that one? >> oh, yeah. that is amazing. john hawkes was in "winter's born," and "deadwood," and he plays the lead. and at the age of 38 he decides to hire a sex surrogate, and this is back in the '80s when sex surrogatesy was -- >> john: the golden era. >> yes. and helen hunt helps him learn to accept his sexuality. he struggles with the dilemma between the sin of the body and the mind, and it's just a remarkable film. >> john: i'm afraid i couldn't relate to that conflict at all. since we know there's not going to be anymore elmo movies out of sesame street do you have any

take on the unholy alliance between george lucas and disney? >> i'm just not a "star wars" fan. i saw the flurry on that -- >> john: you are a beautifully cultured woman. and one final question again, are there any films out that people should just avoid? what is right crap right now? >> i don't know that there is much. "twilight" is -- you are not going to see "twilight," unless you are a twi-heart as it is called, but i don't think there's too much crap out there. >> john: i'm thankful for that.

allison thank you so much for joining us. >> thank you. >> john: we'll be right back on the "bill press show." taking your calls at 866-55-press. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show." ♪ unleashed. joy behar. >> i'll talk about surviving thanksgiving with relationship guru iyanla vanzant, and chef michael simon, on say anything.

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♪ ♪ alright, in 15 minutes we're going to do the young turks. i think the number one thing that viewers like about the young turks is that we're honest. they know that i'm not bs'ing them with some hidden agenda, actually supporting one party or the other. when the democrats are wrong, they know that i'm going to be the first one to call them out. they can question whether i'm right, but i think that the audience gets that this guy, to the best of his ability, is trying to look out for us.

♪ >> announcer: chatting with you live at current.com/billpress. >> john: this is the "bill press show," where we are pro-thanks pro-giving. what a pleasure it is to be here

in our nation's capitol this whole week. we're taking your calls at 866-55-press. we are asking on your thoughts on benghazi which is now turning into semantics gate. we want to know about your thoughts on the israel, palestinian conflict and what do you think about black friday and what do you do to handle your difficult relatives when the thanksgiving talk turns to ugly politics. eileen is calling from my hometown, greenwich village, new york. >> caller: hello john. happen think thanksgiving to

you, and peter dan and bill as well. >> john: peter and bill are not here. >> caller: i know but they might be listening? >> john: they're not. >> caller: i wanted to talk about my family. at one point in thanksgiving long ago the discussion evolved of course as older siblings tend to do to my sister saying you done know what you are talking about. to which i responded here is my senator, my governor my state assemblyman, my city council person, here is my states person, can you name your representative. can you name your representatives. and she could not.

and so i said who is paying attention? >> john: yeah, the more informed you are, the better your case is, and when you say something like you don't know what you are talking about, that is usually a sign that you have given up on your talking points. >> caller: that's right. >> john: thank you for the call eileen. and it's true we can get a lot farther with facts, and love. you might have a politically toxic relative who wants to make it a political fight and i suggest asking them questions and avoid insults. exsign is calling back. what is up? >> caller: there has been so much talk about benghazi and everything, and the election using race as well as gays, but if there is one thing i do feel

grateful for, is a year and two days ago my husband passed after a long battle of cancer and as a gay guy i noticed i received so much support from people from all different parts of the world, and that would have never happened before. >> john: yeah for me i got to be there at the dawn of the aid's crisis and we have never seen as many minority group make as great of strides as the lgbt community. >> especially being on the stage in front of straight audiences. i was married in holland, and i had been just like you all over

the country, which whenever i get a little bit down, which i will probably for a couple of more years thinking of my husband, but i have seen this country grow and change and i'm able to walk on stage, especially in a business where when i first started, everyone said no one is going to hire you, and that's an amazing feet. >> john: i thank you for the call. i have seen your act. and no one is going to mistake you for being a boring straight breeder like me and i very very deeply sympathize your loss, but this movement that began because of a playing, and 25 years later an american president supports marriage equality, it is an evolution on

speed. nannet is calls us now. >> caller: hi, john. i really like you. i -- i agree with almost everything that you say. where have you been all of my life and all of that stuff. >> john: thank you. please let's get to the important part. >> caller: yes i would like to make a comment about israel, and this is something i would like you to think about if you don't mind, and that is until hamas, the palestinians, and iran accept israel and the jews there will be no peace. >> john: i agree with that. >> caller: i don't -- i mean eliot spitzer, you know -- governor spitzer really said it for the first time. how short is our memory? >> john: you are exactly right, but the muslims have to

recognize israel's right to exist, and israel is going to have to eventually concede and both sides will give, grow, love, and the next generation will thank both sides. it's the "bill press show." we'll be right back after this break. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show." ♪ [ male announcer ] you like who you are... and you learned something along the way. this is the age of knowing what

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this corruption based on corruption based on corruption. >>that's an understatement, eliot. ♪ >> announcer: on your radio, and on current tv this is the "bill press show." >> john: this is the "bill press show." i'm john fugelsang filling in for bill. that -- i think you are playing van morrison back on the top again from the back on top album from like ten years ago? >> you got it.

>> john: man, i need to get a life. i'm john fugelsang your classic rock nerd. i'm going to see bob dylan again tonight at the barclay center home of the brooklyn nets. north carolina hussein nomad tweets one year as a gift for christmas i gave an oil change to somebody. that's thinking locally. and don writes i can't wait for elizabeth warren to take her seat. and [ inaudible ] i wrote my undergrad thesis on lincoln, and why he was our greatest president. we'll be taking your calls when we come back at 866-55-press.

[♪ theme music ♪] >> john: you know, black friday is a very special time it's when we all get together and agree to keep capitolism and christmas, it's when christian buy lots and lots of material possessions and trade upon their desecrated corpses of their neighbors as they rush by them in wal-mart.

but it's the blessings of freedom, democracy, and the blessing that maybe disney won't ruin star wars like gorge lucas tried to, and i'm very thankful that i get to throw to the luminous lisa ferguson. >> hey john. good morning, everyone. news from ben gausy this morning, the police chief has beens as a nated overnight. he was appointed just after the september attack on the u.s. console late that killed ambassador christopher stephens and three other americans. they opened fire and then fled the seen. turning to election-related news, there is just no escaping presidential election politics. the gop is reporting more than

15 republicans are considering a run. marco rubio, bobby jindal and now paul ryan. it is time to end the aims straw poll. history shows there is a little correlation between who wins the straw poll and who gets the nomination. last year the straw poll gave michele bachmann some credit. and president obama has a new pen pal, a 10-year-old. she first invited the president to dinner with no response. so then she sent him this letter. she wrote it to the position thanking him for his position on same-sex marriage, since sophia is being raised by her two dads. she called the president her

hero, and he wrote back saying her letter made him hopeful for the future. arguments to feel confident in their positions. i want them to have the data and i want them to have the passion. but it's also about telling them, you're put on this planet for something more. i want this show to have an impact beyond just informing. an impact that gets people to take action themselves. as a human being, that's really important. this is not just a spectator sport. rich, chewy caramel rolled up in smooth milk chocolate. don't forget about that payroll meeting. rolo.get your smooth on. also in minis.

[ ♪ theme ♪ ] [♪ theme music ♪] >> announcer: broadcasting across the nation, on your radio, and on current tv. this is the "bill press show." >> john: this is the "bill press show." i'm john fugelsang filling in for bill all morning. it has been a pleasure filling in for bill. we're taking your calls at 866-55-press. we're talking about thanksgiving and how you handle difficult political relatives at the table, and black friday. it is bad, good and is it both? and we want to know your thoughts. again our number is 866-55-press. i'm very excited to welcome tour

next guest anthony popus, your agency has provided grand consulting for organizations across a multitude of verticals. what do you do in english? >> we held brand today build their brand. what it takes to get connected with customers to create loyalty and other such items. >> john: in that sense black friday really is all about markets. it is about capitalism it's a. if you look at christmas as being our most spiritually-based national holiday, and thanksgiving is sort of in the middle straddling the secretary and the spiritual black friday really is a celebration of all

of the good and all of the excess that can come out of our free market system. we have been asking people all morning to call in with their thoughts on it from the issues of exploitation of labor, taking wal-mart employees coming in and work in the middle of the night, and people stampeding on each other to get bargains on things. we know all about the ugly aspects of it, and the spiritually dead aspects of it. but the argument i have been making all morning is even if everything negative is true doesn't our economy depend on this, and indeed the faith of the obama administration count on this? >> i would happen to agree with you, it does come across as a little excessive and the idea of

black friday sort of being that place for profits, but we -- and especially myself as a small business owner, it does set up a day for us to look at to say we need to work together and kick start america, kick start the economy if we can, and get rolling and be in this together. i think the purpose of buying is about sharing and giving as opposed to being more inward looking, but it does straddle the line of is it for america or for corporate profits. >> john: yeah. and i can live with that contradiction. i can accept both realities existing at the same time that there is a lot of good and a lot of bad at the same time. what is the most positive aspects of black friday?

is it the job creation profits, it helps politicians keep their jobs? >> i wouldn't necessarily take the political stance but i look at it from a business perspective. we have the unemployment rate, and keeping people busy generating their own income as businesses make money, please make money. i think also technology wise it helps us be a little bit more innovative. we're trying to make the experience of black friday be a little bit better. it's moving in to convenience and reliability, so you don't have to go to a physical store, you can be at home and do this as well. however, the day signals a day of buying and giving, and you can still do it in your own

home, if you will. >> john: you are referring to cyber monday i guess? >> yeah, they are actually kind of blurring. it is more the weekend that gets everybody on a rally cry. we have seen a lot of brands blurring the line and saying we're going to have same pricing. whether it's online or in the stores. the stopping experience is shared on both. people are researching online and going into stores versus buying online. it's more like a big festival of maybe buying for other people. >> john: we want to know your thoughts out there in bill press radioland. please give us a call at 866-55-press. cyber monday is kind of a recent phenomenon. my concern with cyber monday and with online shopping in general

is your money not staying in your community, and the virtue of shopping at smaller local businesses. obviously if you go to wal-mart or target your money is going to the corporation primarily. the argument will be the employees will get paid and the money will stay in the community, but to buy american-made goods and also shop at local businesses in your community? >> absolutely. again, as a small business owner having customers here is fantastic. cyber monday also provides the ability to go outside of its boundaries and generate revenue

just across the line in delaware or wherever. i'm 100% behind local buying. there are sites out there that actually show you the deals in your local market -- >> john: you are kidding? that is like one the first positive things i have heard this season. >> yeah. >> john: so while it is great to go to amazon and have your shopping crap that you are never going to buy anyway, i didn't realize if you don't want your neighbors trading on each other, you can shop just down the block. >> that's right. you have the ability groupon and living social as well. you can also be a positive that you are endorsing local markets.

>> john: anthony you just made me happy. i'm thankful for that. bonnie is calling us from michigan. good morning. >> caller: good morning, john, and all there. it's a pleasure to always see you. >> john: thank you. >> caller: are you still going to be doing the friday show? >> john: no, the friday show was just a stunt we were doing before election day. the daily sereries will be launching sometime after the holidays. so i'll be in your house five nights a week and abusing you. >> caller: i can't wait. black friday is hysterical. i turned the big 7-0 today -- >> john: oh, you and joe biden just yesterday. >> caller: absolutely but black friday, quote is hysterical.

i would not set foot out of the house on that day, nor would i set foot into a wal-mart. >> john: have you seen the film "the high cost of low prices." >> yes on current. i thank al gore for bringing this to us and bringing you to us. you mentioned something yesterday about -- this is the holiday season. i know thanksgiving isn't a religious holiday. however, you said people who think separation of church and state is a conservative thought. >> john: it is. >> caller: i'm a prerogative liberal, please explain what i'm doing wrong, when i think my church should not be telling me about my politics. >> john: you are doing nothing

wrong. was just at mass with my mother and they read the letter from the bishop saying it is important to vote but we won't tell you how to vote but if you vote for people that believe in gay marriage your legs will be burned off. but, you know, again i say all the time, when you are talking with your right-wing relatives remind them the founding fathers wanted this wall between church and state so you are the conservative on this issue. whenever we can remind people that the irony is the liberals are the real conservatives. in my book no gop president has balanced a budget since nixon. and we thank you for the call.

anthony, the funny thing is black friday began being called that because it was about getting businesses into the black. now it has become this ghoulish specter of dread, and it refers to sort of like a horror show. is that aroenick or appropriate? >> i think the skeptical it is that. i think that we probably blow it a little out of proportion. getting businesses out of the black, though, is what we need to be doing, especially after the latest administration and election that we just went through, the country needs to start moving forward and beyond sort of where we were, and this is one way to do it but it is a big skeptical, it can be a positive, however, the name sort of takes away that positive and starts to say it is really about corporate profits. >> john: one of the things our

prerogative allies need to realize, is everything about the date -- yeah it's grotesque to see what people do for a tickle-me elmo and now it's about tickling yourself elmo but as you pointed out, you can use online resources to help your community. >> absolutely. and i'm going to get there on 8:00 thursday night rather than midnight, but just the idea of going to stores -- you don't necessarily need to be doing that anymore, however, it is good to get out and show support for local businesses being there -- being active in their stores which they normally don't

do is a good way to help contribute, and get more community oriented. so you can -- you can look at it in a positive light. >> john: i go to wal-mart on black friday just to take pictures. bill can calling. good morning. >> caller: good morning. my comment is wondering sort of the chicken and the egg, which comes first, the customers going earlier and earlier and the stores starting earlier and earlier trying to accommodate what they think the -- they set up ridiculous hours and then the customers come which confirms that that's what the customer wants. >> john: you are exactly right. we can talk all we want about

how these companies are opening and people didn't have thanksgiving dinner with their families. but in the supply and demand culture we live in if people want to go shopping on thanksgiving evening, that's a great way to avoid family. >> i have to agree with you that is kind of what we signed up to do. i think that the opportunity to be able to do it is a great thing. however, it does impact people. it should be an optional for workers. it shouldn't be mandated or forced in that regard. >> john: exactly. anthony i thank you so much for coming in morning and lending your expertise. >> thank you for having me. >> john: we'll be right back

here on the "bill press show." >> announcer: chatting with you live at current.com/billpress, as well as taking your calls at 866-55-press this is the "bill press show," live on your radio and current tv. ♪ building up to this. >>bill shares his views, now it's your turn. >>i know you're going to want to weigh in on these issues. >>connect with "full court press with bill press" at facebook.com/billpressshow and on twitter at bpshow. >>i believe people are hungry for it.

we have a big, big hour and the i.q. will go way up. how are you ever going to solve the problem if you don't look at all of the pieces? >>tv and radio talk show host stephanie miller rounds out current's morning news block. >>you're welcome current tv audience for the visual candy. >>sharp tongue, quick whit and above all, politically direct. >>you just think there is no low they won't go to.

oh, no. if al gore's watching today... ♪ >> announcer: this is the "full court press," the "bill press show," live on your radio, and on current tv. >> john: this is the "bill press show." good morning, and happy thanksgiving to you. what does thanksgiving mean to you, and what are you the most thankful for, is black friday a good thing, and how do you

handle your far right-wing family members over the dinner table. the talks failed the judge ordered them into mediation, it doesn't work, so they are going away, no more twinkies cupcakes, wonder bread -- >> someone is going to buy those recipes. >> john: they are going to sell the recipes for a ton of money and the brand names for even more, and these guys that ran hostess who are blaming it all on union labor, the ceo who tripled his own salary who gave out over how many million dollars in benefits to executives while filing for bankrupt the second time after cutting pension funds, salaries and after their union employees

agreed to a pay cut to keep their job, and now they are still trying to blame it on the unions. >> they split $1.75 million between 19 executives. the workers get none of that. >> john: the workers have a pay cut, and we have been talking a lot about the actual numbers, but it's pretty disgusting what has happened. and you want the media to be your watchdogs in this and be the ones that stand up and say, hey, folks it wasn't unions that did it it was corporate greed that did it, and the media hasn't done that and where we have gotten that is the social media, and while the victims are certainly the 18,000 hostess employees who are losing their jobs just before the holidays classy executives to me the here

rose have been the ones on twitter, and other social media who make me really proud. and twinkies will be back you are right, dan, but no one is going to pick up choc-o-dials. >> really, you think it is going to die? >> john: yes. 50 to $60 million is outstanding to trade creditors, $180 million in accrued worker's compensation liabilities, $850 million of secured debt outstanding, that's fiscal mismanagement of a billion dollars, and they are blaming it on 18,000 workers who don't even make $20 an hour.

right back on the "bill press show." >> announcer: this is the "bill press show." ♪ commercials? those types are coming on to me all the time now. (vo) she gets the comedians laughing and the thinkers thinking. >>ok, so there's wiggle room in the ten commandments, that's what you're saying. you would rather deal with ahmadinejad than me. >>absolutely. >> and so would mitt romney. (vo) she's joy behar. >>and the best part is that current will let me say anything. what the hell were they thinking?

♪ >> announcer: on your radio, and on current tv. this is the "bill press show." >> john: this is the "bill press show." i'm john fugelsang filling in for bill wishing all y'all a very, very happy thanksgiving. the oldest female veteran has died, and we thank her for her service and our best wishes to her family. san meusel turns 92 today, dr. john who has one of the best albums of the year is 72 senator dick durbin is 68. today is also the birthday of

marleau thomas, goldie hawn troy aikman ken griffey jr. and [ inaudible ]. and the moral of this story is astrology means nothing. i have been really thrilled to work here this week, and one of the great things when i get to take over the "bill press show" is to pull it down to my level. yesterday i had muslim dean oh bah doll la and today i have a guy who works with dean, scott blakeman who is one of the stars of laughing liberally off breadway. and scott, i want to thank you for calling happy thanksgiving welcome to the "bill press show." >> happy thanksgiving, john. >> john: you are a jewish

comedian who is also liberal, so why do you hate the people of israel? >> ask the people on facebook. >> john: by the way it's amazing your material is so brilliant, and dean is a liberal muslim and i'm a liberal christian, which i sort of the is redundant, but tell us about your take and perspective. >> we just did a stand up for peace show and for about nine years now we go to college campuses. and even before the show we bring together different groups to come together and this is a topic as you know you can't have a civil discussion about it. they call me names just for saying i stand for israel but i also stand for peace and

compassion for israelis and palestinians who are going through this horror right now. and college campuses you have speakers who incite people people walk out, and we bring people together, do your humor and talk about the conflict, and it's not demonizing each other. that's what it really comes down to. we're all people and it's our leaders, the ability to sit down and talk the only way to solve the situation right now is through talking, and there's no military solution, rockets or bombs that will bring anybody closer to peace, and we need to have compassion for the people being victimized every day. humor is a great way to build bridges and bring people together. >> john: that's where i steal all of my jokes from muslim and jewish comedians.

and i'm of the opinion that the overwhelming majority are actually getting along oak right now. i kind of feel it tends to be the far right-wing frig that are responsible for all of the homophobia, the justifications for violence, the sub jew gags of women. if god really wanted anybody dead wouldn't he just smiet them? doesn't his message seem to be, i'm not taking sides? >> absolutely, the most religious people should be the most peaceful. it's just a very frustrating situation. it has been going on now for just so many years, and i hope that in the next few hours not

just a cease fire but you need a comprehensive peace plan, and have a two-state solution and this will bring up my facebook numbers here but you have to talk to hamas. and the fact that the united states official policy not to talk to hamas is insane to me because they are the main player in the conflict so how could you not talk to them? so it's very frustrating, but we are out there as you are, john, and we're optimist comedians. but as you said there's no issue between pal signians and israels, they have lived together in peace for centuries and it's just being set in this situation, and sadly now palestinians don't get to see israelis. and there needs to be two

countries living together safely and security. that has to be the solution. >> john: i agree we had governor eliot spitzer on earlier in the show, and we speculated over whether the state department does have some behind the scenes talks going back and force with hamas it would seem to be the prudent thing to do to end this bloodshed. one of the things i always talk about with my atheist friends, i always try to say it's not religious people it's the far right-wing fringes of the religions. you might be a fundamental list of any region if you -- the five things i find whether you are christian, jew, muslim, hindu,

the homophobia keeping women down, violence is okay if my side does it. we don't see liberal christians muslims and jews taking that point of view. other religions are inferior. me or no one else. and finally the sex hangups. and consistently i find i have to say you are blaming stuff on religious people but it's the far-right conservative religious people who are keeping life so interesting for the rest of us who just want to get along, raise your kids and leave the world better than we found it. would you agree? >> absolutely. i have spent many hours on fox debating this where people people don't accept islam as a legitimate religion and i say the fact that a tiny tiny

number of islams are carrying out these terrorist attacks but it is not the situation at all. and being a liberal jew, and i have people who are more quote, religious even though to me that doesn't mean they are better jews, and attacking me and saying let's have compassion for the palestinian people who have been killed many of them children, i get people saying no no hamas did it. but this is a tragedy on both sides. innocent people are dying. this has to stop so a true religious person would be opposed toy violence. >> john: i agree. and hamas palestine has to recognize israel's right to exist, and israel is going to have to be the leader in

bringing about a two-state solution where palestine will control its own borders. and i'm hoping that moresy will be the unexpected hero of this and maybe he can accomplish stuff that americans couldn't do. scott when you do stand-up what it is like being a liberal jewish comic. >> i do a show at the playroom in new york city christmas eve and christmas day, i'm doing my liberal jew show and open to everyone -- >> john: so about the only thing open in new york on christmas is your show and chinese restaurants? >> that's true. have chinese food and then come over. i had on my postcard that said liberal jew, and looking at the

expressions on people's faces and trying to figure out which word bothers them more? >> john: i think that you speak for a lot more jewish americans than the media might lead one to surmise. >> absolutely, and president obama still got 70% of the jewish vote, 81% of american jews agree with how he is approaching things so i think among american jews there needs to be more introspection. if you just said i stand for the united states, you would rightfully challenge me and say what does that mean? so you say i love israel and support israel in my way of supporting israel is to call fora comprehensive peace settlement. and it's not one side winning or the other, the only way

israelians win is if the palestinians win. it has to be pro peace. >> john: exactly i'm on the side of anyone who is trying to solve these problems non-violently. scott where can people learn more about yourself. >> they can go to liberalcomedian.com and i'm on twitter. thanks so much scott. i'm a great fan. and we'll be right back taking your calls at 866-55-press. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show." live on your radio, and current tv. party or the other. when the democrats are wrong, they know that i'm going to be the first one to call them out. they can question whether i'm right, but i think that the audience gets that this guy, to the best of his ability, is trying to look out for us.

>>i jump out of my skin at people when i'm upset. they're doing this this corruption based on corruption based on corruption. >>that's an understatement, eliot. ♪

>> announcer: heard around the country and seen on current tv this is the "bill press show." >> john: this is the "bill press show," i'm john fugelsang filling in for bill wishing all y'all a very very happy thanksgiving, and very happy black friday where we keep capitolism in christmas, and where we buy stuff while celebrating the birthday of the guy who renounced stuff. bill is calling from chicago. good morning. >> caller: good morning. happy thanksgiving. >> john: happy thanksgiving to you as well. >> caller: i am a general manager of a business in chicago, but i do think i remember when i was younger, everybody did want to get away from the relatives and go to the

movie theater just to get away when we were younger, so the population had a lot different avenue to go instead of going to the movies they can go shopping. the only thing different i would like to see is to open up at 9:00 or 10:00 on thursday close at 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning, and then open it back up because after 2:00 or 3:00 it's pretty dead in the store. >> john: so not the all-night thing, because that forces people to be away from their families and been exhausted empty plots. >> caller: absolutely. that's when the drunks show up. >> john: parish the thought. you lie, sir, you lie.

i wish you happy thanksgiving and i hope you have great sales. >> thank you, appreciate it. >> john: we can despair age items. deb is calling from fairfield. >> caller: hey there, love, how are you? >> john: better now. >> caller: you have no idea how good you are at what you do? >> john: you have no idea baby. >> caller: the reason i called in the same way al gore is pretty much rescued the united states of america by creating current tv with his partners and board of directors in the same way all of you and mr. gore have pretty much saved the united states by creating another -- an actually

progressive or liberal point of view show, maybe we could do that with the situation -- remember the sexy liberal comedy tour has brought liberal back with the way we say it and can be proud. maybe we can go there with hamas and the israelis. maybe we can put portions in some of these morning shows dedicated to people calling in and talking about peace and taking about being jewish or palestinian, or talking about being a member of hamas, you know? there's all kinds of people that are just trying to get through their day who joined up with hamas. and i'm not a terrorist sympathizer, but -- >> john: i know what you are saying. but anyone who says anything positive about palestinian people is a terrorist, i learned that from news busters this week.

but you are absolutely right. people do get along and right now millions of christians jews and muslims are busy not hating each other, but we live in an era of hate-driven media, and that's not going to sell too much. it's a drama-driven media. you know what i'm saying? >> caller: oh yes. but because -- like -- people like stephanie miller made liberal -- remember when you couldn't be liberal, and now it's a great thing. i'm thinking maybe we can create drama around the whole -- and it sounds so pr based, but it's so much more real than that. and thank you for current. >> john: thank you. i know mr. gore and his partners, and the great team of

production staff and on-air hosts are trying to do something different. i wanted to work for them, because i was so inspired by the fact that they are independently owned and trying to say things you can't say on other channels. there will be a big sexy liberal tour announcement coming next week. i'm john fugelsang. we'll be back with your calls in the final minutes of the "bill press show." >> announcer: heard around the country, and seen on current tv. this is the "bill press show." ♪ perspective. >>i'm a slutty bob hope. the troops love me. >>only on current tv. [ male announcer ] it's that time of year again. time for citi price rewind.

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>> announcer: this is the "bill press show." >> john: i guess you are playing this because we should all be thankful that sammy heygar is not with van halen anymore. >> there you go. >> john: happy thanksgiving everybody. richard is calling from san francisco. happy thanksgiving you are on the "bill press show." >> caller: happy thanksgiving to you, john. >> john: thank you. >> caller: i work for a non-profit and -- [ inaudible ] because even with [ inaudible ] a lot of misery in the country right now. if we can make happiness, we can make change, and create blocks of voters to work within the system to make a better life for people. >> john: that's very, very

inspiring and very, very true. i do think that it's been really, really a great week being here. i'm thankful that i have been able to fill in on the show to work with you dan -- you not so much, but peter was great. >> well, thank you. >> john: i want to thank all of you listeners for being so awesome. i have to go see bob dylan in brooklyn -- >> again. >> john: again. i'm also thankful because i think we're going to get news of a cease fire very soon in israel, and i can't think of a better gift for the world. i'm john fugelsang it has been a real thrill filling in. bill is back on monday. peace. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show."